Monserrate Committee Report Is Out

Full report made available by the Albany Times-Union here – the committee concludes Monserrate “showed a reckless disregard for Ms. Geraldo’s well-being and for the severity of her injury,” and is, as the NYT puts it, “unfit to serve.”

“The decisions made that night by Senator Monserrate as to the treatment of someone he ostensibly loved and cared for, were not consistent with the obvious need to obtain swift medical care for an injury of the seriousness of Ms. Giraldo’s,” the report states. “Whether the senator was worried for his political future or not, the evidence demonstrates both recklessness and callousness.”

The nine-member committee, led by Senator Eric T. Schneiderman, a Democrat from Manhattan, also found that Mr. Monserrate’s actions damaged the reputation of the Senate and demonstrated “a lack of fitness to serve in this body.”

“Accordingly,” the report states, “the Select Committee recommends that Senator Monserrate be sanctioned by the full Senate, and that the Senate vote to impose one of two punishments: expulsion, or in the alternative, censure with revocation of privileges. The Select Committee recommends that the full Senate convene to consider, debate and vote on both resolutions as soon as reasonably possible.”

Senator Brian Foley (D-Blue Point, Long Island) has announced his plans to introduce an expulsion resolution ASAP. Hopefully we’ll be able to stick a fork in Monserrate pretty soon and end this particular episode of the bad reality show that is our state’s government.